Celtic toponymy

Celtic languages

The Proto-Indo-European language developed into various daughter languages, including the Proto-Celtic language. In Proto-Celtic ("PC"), the Proto-Indo-European ("PIE") sound *p disappeared, perhaps through an intermediate *ɸ. After that, languages derived from Proto-Celtic changed PC *k^w into either *p or *k (see: P-Celtic and Q-Celtic languages). In P-Celtic languages, PC *k^w changed into *p. In Q-Celtic dialects it developed into /k/. Modern Celticists believe these changes happened after the split between Insular Celtic languages and the Continental Celtic languages.

P-Celtic languages include the Continental Gaulish language and the Brittonic branch of Insular Celtic. Common Brittonic is the ancestor of Welsh, Cornish and Breton.

Ancient Q-Celtic languages include the Continental Celtiberian and the Goidelic branch of Insular Celtic. Goidelic is the ancestor of the Gaelic languages Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx.

Frequent elements

Celtic *briga 'hill, high place' > Irish brí 'hill'

Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated'; used as a feminine divine name, rendered Brigantia in Latin

Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'

Celtic *dūnon 'fortress' > Irish dún 'fortress', cf. Welsh dinas 'city'

Celtic *dūro- 'fort'

Celtic *k^wenno- 'head' > Brythonic *penn-, Welsh pen 'head, end, chief, supreme', Irish ceann 'head'

Celtic *magos 'field, plain', Irish magh 'plain'

Celtic *windo- 'white, fair, blessed' > Welsh gwyn / gwen 'white, blessed', Old Irish find, Irish fionn 'fair'

Austria

Bregenz, Vorarlberg, Latin Brigantium

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

Wien, English Vienna, Latin Vindobona

From Celtic *windo- 'white' (Welsh gwyn) + *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

Belgium

Ardennes, Latin Arduenna Silva

From divine name Arduinna, from Celtic *ardu- 'high' (Irish ard) + Latin silva 'forest'

France

Most of the main cities in France have a Celtic name (the original Gaulish one or the name of the Gaulish tribe); however, in Provence, there are sometimes Greek or Latin names, and in the Basque Country there are Basque names.

Amiens

Angers

Argentan, Argenton (Argenton, Lot-et-Garonne, Argenton-les-Vallées, Argenton-l'Église, Argenton-Notre-Dame, Argenton-sur-Creuse, Argenton River)

Arras

Arles

Autun

Bayeux < (Civitas) Baiocassensis; former Augustodurum. 'forum dedicated to Augustus

Bourges

Briançon < Brigantium

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

Brive-la-Gaillarde < Briva 'bridge'

Brives

Caen (Cahan, Cahon) < Catumagos. From Old Celtic catu- 'battle' 'fight' 'combat', Old Irish cath 'battle, battalion, troop', Breton -kad /-gad, Welsh cad 'combat, troop'. The general meaning could be 'battlefield'

Cahors

Chambord

Carentan < Carentomagus, Idem Charenton, etc.

Divodurum (Latin), now Metz, Lorraine

From Celtic *diwo- 'god, holy, divine' (Scottish Gaelic dia 'god') + *dūro- 'fort'

Évreux < (Civitas) Eburovicensis ; former Mediolanum

Laon, Aisne, Latin Lugdunum Clavatum

Lillebonne

Limoges

Lisieux < (Civitas) Lexoviensis ; former Noviomagus 'new market', Old Celtic noviios 'new'.

Lugdunum Convenarum (Latin), now Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, Haute-Garonne

Lyon, Rhône, Latin Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum

From Celtic *lug- 'Lugus' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *dūnon 'fortress'

Lemonum (Latin), now Poitiers, Vienne

First element from Celtic *lemo- 'elm'.

Nant, Nans

Nantes

Nanteuil

Nanterre

Noviomagus Lexoviorum (Latin), now Lisieux, Calvados

Noviomagus Tricastinorum (Latin), now Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, Drôme

Noyon, Oise, Latin Noviomagus Veromanduorum

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

Périgueux

Samarobrīva (Latin), now Amiens, Somme

"Bridge on the [river] Somme". River name Samara + Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'.

Oissel, Oisseau-le-Petit, several Ussel, etc.

Orange < Arausio, a water god

Pierremande < Petromantalum < petro-matalo- 'four road' = 'crossing'

Paris

Rennes

Rouen < Rotomagus, sometimes Ratómagos or Ratumacos (on the coins of the Veliocassi tribe). It can be roto-, the word for 'wheel' or 'race', cf. Old Irish roth 'wheel' 'race' or Welsh rhod 'wheel' 'race'. Magos is surer here : 'field', 'plain' or later 'market' cf. Old Irish mag (gen. maige) 'field' 'plain', Old Breton ma 'place'. The whole thing could mean 'hippodrome', 'racecourse' or 'wheel market'.

Vandœuvres, Vendeuvre < vindo-briga 'white fortress'

Verdun, Latin "Virodunum" or "Verodunum

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'.

Vernon < Vernomagus. There are other Vernons in France, but they come directly from Vernō 'place of the alder-trees'. 'plain of the alder-trees'. uernā 'alder-tree', Old Irish fern, Breton, Welsh gwern, dial. French verne / vergne.

Veuves, Voves, Vion

Germany

Alzenau

From Celtic alisa, s.f., 'alder'. (Compare the modern German Erlenbach) and Old High German (OHG) aha, s.n., 'flowing water'.

de Amarahe (?), a lost river name near Fulda c. 800 CE

Amerbach, a stream near Groß-Umstadt, Babenhausen, Ober-Ramstadt

Ammer

Ammerbach

Ammergraben, a stream near Harpertshausen

Amorbach, a stream near Mümling and the village named after it.

Amorsbrunn

Wald-Amorbach

Perhaps from Celtic ambara, 'channel, river'. Compare Indo-European *amer-, 'channel, river' > Greek ἀμάρη (amárē), 'channel'. Or, from Celtic amara, 'spelt, a type of grain'.

Annelsbach a suburb of Höchst

Ansbach in Mittelfranken originally Onoltesbah 837 CE

From Celtic *onno-, 'ash tree' plus an OHG bach, 'small river'.

Boiodurum, now Innstadt, Passau, Niederbayern

First element is Celtic *Boio-, tribal name (Boii), possibly 'cattle-owner' (cf. Irish bó 'cow') or 'warrior'. Second element is Celtic *dūro- 'fort'.

Bonn

From Celtic *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

Boppard

From Gaulish Boudobriga, "hill of victory". Containing the elements *boudo- 'victory' (Welsh budd 'gain, benefit') + *briga, 'hill'.

Düren, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Latin Durum

From Celtic *dūro- 'fort'

Hercynia Silva (Latin), a vast forest including the modern Black Forest

From Celtic *(φ)erkunos 'oak' or divine name Perkwunos + Latin silva 'forest'

Kempten im Allgäu, Bavaria, Latin Cambodūnum

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Moguntiacum

From Celtic *mogunt-, 'mighty, great, powerful', used as a divine name (see Mogons)

Meggingen

From Celtic *mago-, 'plain, field'

Neumagen-Dhron, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Noviomagus Trevirorum

Noviomagus Nemetum (Latin), now Speyer, Rheinland-Pfalz

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

Remagen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Rigomagus or Ricomagus

Second element is from Celtic *magos 'field, plain'

Tübingen

Some have seen this toponym as a hybrid form comprising a Celtic form and a Germanic suffix -ingen. This may be so, since between the 2nd and 4th centuries, the area around the present day German university town of Tübingen was settled by a Celtic tribe with Germanic tribal elements mixed in. The element tub- in Tübingen could possibly arise from a Celtic dubo-, s.m., 'dark, black; sad; wild'. As found in the Anglo-Irish placenames of Dublin, Devlin, Dowling, Doolin and Ballindoolin. Perhaps the reference is to the darkness of the river waters that flow near the town; if so, then the name can be compared to the English Tubney, Tubbanford, Tub Mead and Tub Hole in England. Compare the late Vulgar Latin tubeta 'morass', from Gaulish. The root is found in Old Irish dub > Irish dubh, Old Welsh dub > Welsh du, Old Cornish duw > Middle Cornish du, Breton du Gaulish dubo-, dubis, all meaning 'black; dark'

Worms, Rheinland-Pfalz, Latin Borbetomagus

Second element from Celtic *magos, 'plain, field'

Hungary

Hercynium jugum (Latin)

From Celtic *(φ)erkunos 'oak' or divine name Perkwunos + Latin jugum 'summit'

Italy

Brianza, Lombardy, Latin Brigantia

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

Genova, English Genoa, Latin Genua

Perhaps from Celtic *genu- 'mouth [of a river]'. (However, this Ligurian place-name, as well as that of Genava (modern Geneva), probably derive the Proto-Indo-European root *ĝenu- 'knee', see Pokorny, IEW [1].)

Milano, English Milan, Latin Mediolanum

Unclear. First element looks like Latin medius 'middle'. Second element may be Celtic *landā 'land, place' (Welsh llan); or, *plan- > *lan-, a Celtic cognate of Latin plānus 'plain', with typical Celtic loss of /p/.

Belluno, Veneto, Latin Bellunum

From Celtic *Bhel- 'bright' and *dūnon 'fortress'.

Bergamo, Lombardy, Latin Bergomum

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

Brescia, Lombardy, Latin Brixia

From Celtic *briga- 'rocky height or outcrop'.

Bologna, Lombardy, Latin Bononia

From Celtic *bona 'base, foundation' (Welsh bôn 'base, bottom, stump')

Netherlands

Lugdunum Batavorum (Latin), now Katwijk, Zuid-Holland

From Celtic *lug- 'Lugus' (divine name) or perhaps 'light' + *dūnon 'fortress'

Nijmegen, Gelderland, Latin Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

Poland

Lugidunum (Latin), now Legnica, Silesia

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Portugal

Portugal Portus Cale - Cale, the mother goddess of the Celtic people, the one who armed with a hammer formed mountains and valleys. She hides in the rocks. She is Mother Nature. Her other name is Cailleach ( Calicia/Galiza) Cailleach-Bheur or Beira ( three Portuguese Provinces of the Central Mountain Region where Lusitania was located.

Braga, Braga Municipality, Portugal

From Celtic *bracari- after the Bracari Celts.

Bragança, Alto Trás-os-Montes, Portugal, Medieval Latin Bregantia 957

From Celtic *brigant- 'divine name, Brigantia'.

Beira

From Celtic Beira... Cailleach/ Cale's other name Cailleach-Bheura or Beira

three Portuguese provinces: Beira-Baixa, Beira-Alta and Beira-Litoral

Conímbriga, Coimbra, Portugal

From Celtic *briga- 'rocky height or outcrop'.

Coimbra Cymru place of the people in fellowship - where the people gathered as in at a fairgrounds. Related to the word Cumberland and Cambria.

Évora, Alentejo, Portugal

From Celtic *ebora- 'plural genitive of the word eburos (trees)'.

Lacobriga, Algarve, Portugal

From Celtic *Lacobriga- 'Lake of Briga'.

Romania

Băișoara and other sites in Transylvania, Romania

Boian in Sibiu, Boianu Mare in Bihor County, villages coming from Boii

Călan city in Hunedoara.

Deva, Romania, capital of Hunedoara, originally a city of the Dacians

Galați

Noviodunum now Isaccea means "new fortress" nowijo- + dūn-.

Timiș River in Banat.

Serbia

Singidunum (Latin), now Beograd, English Belgrade

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Slovenia

Celje, Latinized Celeia in turn from *keleia, meaning 'shelter' in Celtic

Neviodunum (Latin), now Drnovo

Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Spain

Asturias and Cantabria

Deva, several rivers in northern Spain, and Pontedeva, Galicia, Spain.

From Celtic *diwā- 'goddess; holy, divine'

Mons Vindius (now the Cantabrian Mountains), NW Spain. From Celtic *windo- 'white'.

Castile

Segovia, Castile and León, Spain, Greek Segoubía. From *segu-, conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (theories).

Galicia

Tambre, a river in Galicia (Spain), Latin Tamaris. Possibly from Celtic *tames- 'dark' (cf. Celtic *temeslos > Welsh tywyll 'darkness'). Other theories.

O Grove, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Ogrobre 912

From Celtic *ok-ro- 'acute; promontory' and Celtic *brigs 'hill'.

Bergantiños, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Bregantinos 830. From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated', or divine name Brigantia, or from Celtic *brigantīnos 'chief, king'.

Dumbría, Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Donobria 830. From Celtic *dūnon 'fortress' + Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'.

Val do Dubra and Dubra River, Galicia. From Celtic *dubr- 'water', *dubrās 'waters' (Welsh dwfr).

Monforte de Lemos (region), Galicia, Spain, Latin Lemavos, after the local tribe of the Lemavi. From Celtic *lemo- 'elm'.

Nendos (region), Galicia, Spain, Medieval Latin Nemitos 830. From Celtic *nemeton 'sanctuary'.

Noia, Galicia, Spain, Greek Nouion. From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd).

Switzerland

Switzerland, especially the Swiss Plateau, has many Celtic (Gaulish) toponyms. This old layer of names was overlaid with Latin names in the Gallo-Roman period, and, from the medieval period, with Alemannic German and Romance names.

For some names, there is uncertainty as to whether they are Gaulish or Latin in origin. In some rare cases, such as Frick, Switzerland, there have even been competing suggestions of Gaulish, Latin and Alemannic etymologies.

Examples of toponyms with established Gaulish etymology:

Solothurn, from Salodurum. The -durum element means "doors, gates; palisade; town". The etymology of the salo- element is unclear.

Thun, Berne: dunum "fort"

Windisch, Aargau, Latin Vindonissa: first element from *windo- "white"

Winterthur, Zürich, Latin Vitudurum or Vitodurum, from vitu "willow" and durum

Yverdon-les-Bains, from Eburodunum, from eburo- "yew" and dunum "fort".

Zürich, Latin Turicum, from a Gaulish personal name Tūros

Limmat, from Lindomagos "lake-plain", originally the name of the plain formed by the Linth and Lake Zurich.

Ireland

The vast majority of placenames in Ireland are anglicized Irish language names.

Scotland

The majority of placenames in the Highlands of Scotland (part of the United Kingdom) are either Scottish Gaelic or anglicized Scottish Gaelic. Gaelic-derived placenames are very common in the rest of mainland Scotland also. Pictish-derived placenames can be found in the northeast, while Brythonic-derived placenames can be found in the south.

Isle of Man

The majority of placenames on the Isle of Man (a Crown dependency) are Manx or anglicized Manx.

England (excluding Cornwall)

Linguistic evidence for Celtic place-names in present-day England can be found in names such as Leatherhead or Litchfield. In addition, evidence of Celtic populations can be found from those place-names including the Old English element wealh "foreigner, stranger, Briton". Such names are a minority, but are widespread across England. For example, a smattering of villages around the Fenland town of Wisbech hint at this: West Walton, Walsoken, and the Walpoles indicate the continued presence of an indigenous population, and Wisbech, King's Lynn and Chatteris retain Celtic topographical elements.

Some villages that exhibit "Tydd" in their name, e.g. Tydd St Giles, may obtain that element from the Britonnic word for "small holding". Compare the Welsh tyddyn.

Arden (forest), Warwickshire

From Celtic *ardu- 'high' (Irish ard)

Avon (river), Gloucestershire/Wiltshire/Somerset

Avon (river), Wiltshire/Hampshire/Dorset

Avon (river), Northamptonshire/Warwickshire/Worcestershire

Avon or Aune (river), Devon

From Brythonic *abona 'river' (Welsh afon)

Axe (river), Devon/Dorset

Axe (river), Somerset

Axminster, Devon

Axmouth, Devon

From Celtic *iska 'water' (Irish uisce)

Brean, Somerset

Bredon, Worcestershire

Breedon on the Hill, Leicestershire

Brewood, Staffordshire

Brill, Buckinghamshire

First element from Celtic *briga 'hill'

Brent (river), Greater London

Brentford, Greater London

From Celtic *brigant- 'high, lofty, elevated' (or divine name, Brigantia)

Bryn, Greater Manchester

Derived from Welsh bryn, 'hill', which in turn is derived from Brythonic briga-, which is of the same meaning

Camulodunum (Latin), now Colchester, Essex

From *kamulos 'Camulus' (divine name) + Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Creech St Michael, Somerset

Crewkerne, Somerset

Crich, Derbyshire

Cricket St Thomas, Somerset

Crickheath, Shropshire

Cricklade, Wiltshire

First element from Brythonic *crüg 'hill'

Dever (river), Hampshire

Deverill (river), Wiltshire

Devon, Latin Dumnonia

From tribal name Dumnonii or Dumnones, from Celtic *dumno- 'deep', 'world'

Dover, Kent, Latin Dubris

From Celtic *dubr- 'water', *dubrās 'waters' (Welsh dwfr)

Durham, County Durham, Latin Dunelm

First element is possibly dun, ' hill fort' (Welsh ddin, 'fort').

Durobrivae (Latin), now Rochester, Kent and Water Newton, Cambridgeshire

Durovernum Cantiacorum (Latin), now Canterbury, Kent

First element from Celtic *dūro- 'fort'; in Dūrobrīvae, Celtic *brīwa 'bridge'

Eskeleth, North Yorkshire

Possibly derived from Brythonic *iska, 'water, fish' and *leith, 'damp, wet'.

Exe (river), Devon/Somerset

Nether Exe, Devon

Up Exe, Devon

Exebridge, Devon

Exford, Somerset

Exeter, Devon, Latin Isca Dumnoniorum

Exminster, Devon

Exton, Somerset

Exwick, Devon

From Celtic *iska 'water' (Irish uisce); second element in Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) is a tribal name (see Devon)

Leatherhead, Surrey

From Brythonic *lēd- [from Celtic *leito-] + *rïd- [from Celtic *(φ)ritu-] = "Grey Ford"

Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Latin Lindum Colonia

From Celtic *lindo- 'pool' + Latin colonia 'colony'

Manchester, Latin Mamucium or Mancunium

From Celtic *mamm- 'breast' (referring to the shape of a hill)

Noviomagus (Latin), now Chichester, West Sussex and Crayford, Kent

From Celtic *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd) + *magos 'field, plain'

Pengethley, Herefordshire

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen) + possibly *kelli 'to stand' (Welsh gelli)

Pencoyd, Herefordshire

Penge, Greater London

Penketh, Cheshire

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen) + *koid- 'wood' (Welsh coed), or *cēd- 'wood'

Pencraig, Herefordshire

Pendlebury, Greater Manchester

Pendleton, Lancashire

Pendock, Worcestershire

First element from Brythonic *penn- 'hill, top, head, chief' (Welsh pen 'head, end, chief, supreme') = Irish ceann 'head', from Proto-Celtic *k^wenno-

Penn, Buckinghamshire

Penn, West Midlands

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill' (Welsh pen)

Lower Penn, Staffordshire

From English lower + Brythonic *penn- 'hill'

Penshaw, Sunderland

From Brythonic *penn- 'hill' and possibly p-Celtic *carr 'rocks'. This matches the earliest attestation from c. 1190, Pencher.

Old Sarum, Wiltshire, Latin Sorviodūnum Second element from Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'

Segedunum (Latin), now Wallsend, Tyne and Wear

First element conjectured to be Celtic for 'victorious', 'strength' or 'dry' (theories). Second element is Celtic *dūnon 'fortress'.

Sinodun Hills, Berkshire

From Celtic *seno- 'old' + *dūnon 'fortress'

Tamar (river), Devon/Cornwall

Tame (river), Greater Manchester

Tame (river), North Yorkshire

Tame (river), West Midlands

Team (river), Tyne and Wear

Teme (river), Welsh Tefeidiad, Wales/Shropshire/Worcestershire

Thames (river), Latin Tamesis

Possibly from Celtic *tames- 'dark' (cf. Celtic *temeslos > Welsh tywyll 'darkness'). Other theories.

Trinovantum (Latin), now London

'Of the Trinovantes', a tribal name, perhaps 'very energetic people' from Celtic *tri- (intensive) + *now- 'energetic', related to *nowijo- 'new' (Welsh newydd)

Verulamium (Latin), now St Albans, Hertfordshire

From Brittonic *weru- 'broad' + *lam- 'hand' [from Celtic *(φ)lāmā] (Welsh llaw, Irish láimh)

Vindobala (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland

Vindolanda (Latin), Roman fort in Northumberland

Vindomora (Latin), Roman fort in County Durham.

First element from Celtic *windo- 'white' (Welsh gwyn); in Vindolanda, Celtic *landā 'land, place' (Welsh llan). In Vindomora, second element could be 'sea' (Welsh môr, Irish muir).

York, Greek Ebōrakon, Latin Eboracum or Eburacum from Celtic *eburo- 'yew'

Wales

The vast majority of placenames in Wales (part of the United Kingdom) are either Welsh or anglicized Welsh.

Cornwall

The vast majority of placenames in Cornwall (part of England) are either Cornish or anglicized Cornish. For examples, see List of places in Cornwall.

Brittany

The vast majority of placenames in the west of Brittany (part of France) are either Breton or derived from Breton. For examples, see Category:Populated places in Brittany.